Basics ,Etiquettes, Guide for International Students, StudentJobs/InternShips
Basics
UK is overall a very tolerant and welcoming country and friendly to immigrants & visitors from all parts of planet. UK (along with U.S. and Europe) donates a lot of money for Developing Parts of planet, which is often neglected in sensational news hungry media reports. In author's opinion , UK scores much higher on Human Rights Protection Scale than many other countries the author has visited so far. If you wish to further enhance your knowledge about UK's efforts for the developing and under-developed parts of the world then please checkout the following websites
http://www.developments.org.uk
Note: If you are a vegetarian, you should always ask before buying any food item as name of some food items can be misleading.e.g Cheese Burger and many Mc Donald's Milkshakes (e.g. Strawberry) are also Not VEG. Veg marked Sandwiches here can have Eggs. There are two kinds of vegetarian terms used here
- Vegetarian - No-Meat, But Egg is OK and products from Animal Milk are also OK.
- Vegans - Only Plant products, NO Meat, NO FIsh, No Animal Product like Eggs or Milk, Yogurt etc.
What you might call Vegetarian In Asia is actually known as Hindu-Vegetarian (food option offered in most flights) here.
Emergency No is 999 here. (112 in europe). When you call 999, Operator asks for police or ambulance? If you say Police then call is transferred to Police Department. If you find understanding their accent difficult then you can always ask them to let you talk to someone who speaks Spanish/Portuguese/Chinese/Hindi etc.
Etiquettes
What is considered rude/inconsiderate/anti-social/taken-for-granted here (Grooming yourself for UK Culture and Social/Office Climate):
Well every culture is different! Something which can mean "thumbs-up" in one country can mean "derogatory" in other. There are some habits/physical gestures which can be pretty normal/ok in your continent/country but here they are not liked.
- You need to say "thank you" for every little favor! For Ex:- Cab drivers here are not supposed to handle your luggage or put it in/take it out from boot of their cab. So when they do it, they expect a "thank you". When driving, in a face to face road block situation, if someone lest you go first, they expect a "thank you" gesture in form of raising palm of your hand. The superstore counter guy/girl packs your stuff for you in carry bags, they too expect a "Thank You". Basically, nobody is a servant here. They are doing their job and for the extra nice things they do, they expect an appreciation back.
- Honking Horn Anywhere! Breaking the Q when stuck in traffic jam, crossing roads without proper signal is all considered Rude and Uncivilised!
- Shouting, playing loud music in tube/bus. Always check the volume of your earphone/headphone. Don't stare at people/girls in tube/bus. Especially don't stare at girls here. Its Not OK here. They might find it disturbing or irritating and might change the seats because of you. Try to giveup your seats for elderly or pregnant ladies. Click Here for Tube Etiquettes
- Breaking the Q anywhere - Bank, postoffice, BUS Q, Ticket counter Q, Cash/ATM Machine Q ( Stay 2 steps behind the person on cash machine). You need to arrive at time if any friend/colleague is waiting. LateComing is totally totally not liked here. So always give yourself 15-30 mins grace time for Tube/metro/buss/traffic/TicketQ issues.
- Mobile not silent in Cinema. Picking calls in Cinema is totally disliked here. I will say again. Don't pickup calls in Cinema and don't obstruct other's view by sitting high. While watching movie, when you change sitting posture, don't push the chair of person sitting infront of you. Its highly irritating. Also if you are one of those whoss legs vibrate during the movie, please don't do that as it vibrates all the seats linked with your seat because the base of seats is usually connected with each other. Also don't talk during the movie, that is so normal in some other countries, but is considered disgusting behaviour here.
- Overtaking someone sharply when driving. Overtaking someone sharply when walking.
- Pushing/Shoving in Tube, Bus, Shops especially places where buffet food is served.
- Sneezing/Coughing without covering your mouth. Never go to your office when you have flu or cough n cold. Coughing disturbs other in office and is not taken as Normal. You are expected to take cough syrups or soothing lonzenges to keep the volume of your coughing in control.
- Letting the (office/venue/lift) door shut on person coming behind you.
- Picking things at display in shops and not putting them back nicely where they are.
- Never treat a Waiter/Server in a rude way. Order anything with respect. "1 bacardi please" is Ok. "1 bacardi" isn't OK.
- Always greet old people in parks with a smile. Always meet superstore counter staff with a smile. Don't forget to say "Thanks, good bye!" when leaving.
- Don't ask for emailid/ telephone nos from strangers in first meeting. Don't ask personal Qs. Don't give out judgemental remarks based on someone's choices. Don't peep into neighbour's windows. Don't make noise after 11pm in night. In multi-floor buildings, be considerate of people living on floor below you.
- Don't pickup/touch others' kids without their permission. Don't offer them candy etc in their care-taker's absence.
- Don't frown when you don't like/want something. Frowning comes so natural to some people but here in UK its considered as display of disgust/repulsion.
- Don't stand with arms folded together. Its usually a Club Bouncer's posture and is considered aggressive here.
To find out any location in UK based on postcode or street name click www.maps.google.co.uk
To find out any local business like, Surgeries (GP), Nursing Homes, Plumbers, B&B etc click www.yell.co.uk.
To find out about your neighbourhood safety records etc see here http://www.upmystreet.co.uk
A little Note on Racism: Don't be afraid to seek help from Police. Police here is your friend. They are very friendly chaps. You should report to them any racist comment/incidence happened to you without any fear. Although most visitors/tourists have a very pleasant stay in UK with rarely any mildly-racist remark/comment made at them. London is most diverse place on planet and so least racist in UK, countryside areas in UK can have a few less-educated ppl who might spoil your day by making a mildly racist remark, overall British people are very friendly and decent people. UK Law provides you protection and compensation for every wrong thing. You should also be careful about saying a remark about any other ethnic person. London is world's most diverse city and every ethnic person here has equal rights.
Govt Report- What Qualifies As Racism?
How to Report Racist Incident In Central London - Westminster Council
Useful Info for Students
Q:- I am coming to UK to study in XYZ college. How good is XYZ college?
Ans:-
- Before everything, one should check the UK League Tables also known as Uni Ranking Guides e.g. (http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide) More Ranking Links mentioned below.
- One should do some google research about XYZ college. Check any blogs or reports about it.
- Try to find communities for that college on facebook. Try to get in touch with community members on these platforms.A course search facility is available from the UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service) website: http://www.ucas.ac.uk.
Some very useful advice for International Students is also available herehttp://www.ukcisa.org.uk/ - UK Council for International Student Affairs
http://all-unied.com/acatalog/advice.html - General Instructions about Culture shock, Weather etc
http://www.gostudyuk.com - Provides information and advice to prospective international students looking forward to study in the UK.
Student Finance Option for International Students - http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/fees_student_support.php
League tables in UK
To judge the quality of a university's undergraduate course in a particular subject, you can refer to ranking tables. Ranking sites :-
http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/tol_gug/gooduniversityguide.php - TimesOnline Uni Ranking Guide
http://www.ukeas.com/postgrad/gradschools/rankings.htm.
Also Checkout : http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk - Highly Recommended Site.
The Guardian newspaper Uni guide (Most Recommended - Tells about course fees and many helpful details):
http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide.
www.topmba.com ( to search best mba college with your own assessments)
One common way of ranking is based on the average grades of students entering the university to study the subject (A-levels or Scottish Highers are the exams taken by UK students before going to university). Although they can be useful as general guides, do not place too much importance on the ranking when making your choice. A particular dept of a low ranking Uni can be doing very good in terms of job placements after the course. So try to find out the web forums for that University. Or call their respective depts about placement figures.
The G8 (Best 8 MBA colleges) includes Judge Business School (Cambridge), London Business School, Said Business School (Oxford), Imperial College Business School, Manchester Business School, Lancaster Business School, Warwick Business School and CASS (City University, London).
Tip: There are thousands of college in UK. Don't waste your time contacting random people on internet about a random college. Only someone who studied at that college can tell you real stuff about that college. Contact the college directly and ask them to put you in touch with some Alumni of that college. Then ask that alumni about his/her experience at that college. Try getting in touch with Students Union Representatives of the college. They are usually the helping kinds.
http://scholarship-positions.com/category/uk-scholarships/ - UK Scholarships
Student Visa for UK Info
VISA Information at UK Govt site - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf5students
Official British Govt Site for Online Visa Applications http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk
Common reasons for refusal of student visa:-
- No evidence of the student possessing funds required for the course
- Insufficient funds
- Poor preparation, no sound knowledge of the course applied for
- Lack of English knowledge
- Forged documents: Students found with fraudulent documents are banned from applying to any UK varsity for 10 years
Q:- Bringing a wife/husband/civil partner and children to the UK?
Ans:- http://www.educationuk.org/pls/hot_bc/page_pls_user_article?d=1125#bringing_partner
Q:-Working while studying? / Working when your studies have ended?
Ans:- http://www.educationuk.org/pls/hot_bc/page_pls_user_article?d=1125#work
Find you way to work - International Students: Working in the UK 2007-08 PDF Guide
Some very useful links
http://all-unied.com/acatalog/advice.html
* advice for International Students
* a checklist of things to do before you leave home
* recognising and coping with culture shock
* a glossary of words and phrases in the UK education system
http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/ukinfo/index.php - Interactive Map of UK's UNIs And Reputed Colleges Along with addresses
http://www.ukeas.com/interactive_uk_map/index.htm - Interactive MAP of all UK Universities
http://www.imahal.com/education/uk/all/list.htm - List of All Colleges In UK
Big Q:-How to Find out which course to do and from which university?
Ans:- There is no simple Answer. Everyone has different requirements. You will have to do your own research using links provided here. One Good link is Prospects.ac.uk.
UKCISA provide guidance notes for students on "Choosing the right course" at: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php.
A helpful blog on the subject is http://ukadmissionposts.blogspot.com/ . More on this mentioned below under the section "Find a course!".
How safe is your university town/city? Click here to find out.
An alternative source of information (aimed mainly at British students) which includes rankings for various non-academic factors is published by Push: http://www.push.co.uk
To read comments from other international students about a university, see: http://www.iagora.com/istudy.
Entry Requirements
International students: an assessment is made based on the qualifications obtained in the student's own country. In addition, universities also require evidence that the English language skills of international students are good enough. Often students must have a recentIELTSscore of at least 6.0, apaper-based TOEFLscore of at least 550, or acomputer-based TOEFLscore of at least 210 (check your university for their requirements).You may be able to take an English course at the university or college before the main course starts (apre-sessional course).
If you are not in the UK, contact the British Councilin your country (see: ttp://www.britishcouncil.org/home/home-contact/home-contact-worldwide.htm). Representatives from UK universities and colleges sometimes travel abroad to meet prospective students at presentations or interviews, or to attend a local "study abroad" or "UK education" fair. The British Council may also organise seminars explaining about choosing a course, applying and living in the UK.
Find a course to study in UK
A course search facility is available from the UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service) website: http://www.ucas.ac.uk. There is a map of university and higher education colleges on the site, and direct links to each of their websites. There is a guide for international students at: http://www.ucas.com/studyuk/index.html. UKCISA provide guidance notes for students on "Choosing the right course" at: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php
The following sources may also help you to find a university course:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ Education Opportunities in UK for International Students
HEROinclude a "university finder" at http://www.hero.ac.uk/uk/universities___colleges/index.cfm
Hobsonsproduce a guide "Study UK" at http://www.studyuk.hobsons.com
Study Choice: http://www.studychoice.com contains information about courses at UK universities and other institutions.
Hot Coursesprovide a directory of courses at: http://www.hotcourses.com. This includes a section of information for international students.
Exploiting online courses to achieve career advancement (Risk Management)
SII - Investment and Finance Certifications
UKCISAprovide guidance notes for students on "Choosing the right course" at: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php.
A lot of very useful info about courses for students can be found here http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Course.htm
Students should keep in mind that they can very well earn back their course fees by working part-time within legal permissions. There are many temp jobs available in London. Minimum pay rate in London is £5.50/hr. Best way to get a temp job is ask your friends or simply walk down to a nearest high street (where most shops of a town are located) and ask/apply in each shop.
How to find a job as Student in UK /Temp Job/ internships/ Apprenticeships
Please also read the helpful FAQ -Info given after these links http://www.work-experience.org- The National Council for Work Experience website :
Checkout Local Town Newspaper and Loot : published 6 times a week. Tues is the best day for jobs.
Evening Standard : published Mon-Fri. Mon is the best day for jobs
Metro : free newspaper issued at train stations. Thurs is the best day for jobs
http://www.justjobs4students.co.uk
http://www.student-jobs.co.uk - A good resource
http://www.studentjob.co.uk - Another good website
http://www.inspiringinterns.com - Another good website
http://www.freelancestudents.co.uk - Latest students part time jobs, internships and graduate jobs.
http://jobs.thisislondon.co.uk -Site run by the Evening Standard newspaper
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ -UK's Official Grad Jobs Site
- Work Placements UK: http://www.workplacementsuk.com
- Intern-UK: http://www.internuk.com
- Southern Work Experience, http://www.yeseducation.co.uk
- Placement UK: http://www.placement-uk.com
- Aspect: http://www.aspectinternships.co.uk
- The Student Placement Co: http://www.spco.co.uk
- Eagle UK: http://www.eagle-uk.demon.co.uk
- Jobs.efinancialcareers.com - Graduates & Internships Jobs UK
- Apprenticeships In UK - Apprenticeships In UK
www.work-experience.org - The National Council for Work Experience
GLA Placements - These are amazing paid placements are for students to get first hand experience working for the GLA 2009-10
www.studentemploymentservices. co.uk - SES advertise a number of placements.
www.fledglings.net - Student resources for industrial placements
www.step.org.uk - Shell step Programme offering a range of summer placements
www.ratemyplacement.com - This website gives you the chance to read reviews from students about placements that they have completed, as well as offering various placement opportunities.
www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ ShowPage/Home_page/Law/Law_ searches... - Work placement opportunities within the legal profession
www.topinternships.com - This website advertises a large number of placement opportunities
www.yummyjobs.com - This company specialises in placements in the USA particularly if you are interested in the hospitality and catering industry
Intern Options.com - Placement Opportunities in Austrailia or New Zealand
Hobsons - A wide variety of year, summer, project based placements in a broad spectrum of industries
http://www.iprofile.org UK's leading Online CV formatting service
http://www.freemycv.com - Upload your CV once, and they register you with other leading job sites.
http://www.cv-library.co.uk ( useful site to compare and develop your own CV by benchmarking it with simillar skills CVs of others available on site)
http://www.jobs4medical.com (for pharmacy and medical jobs)
www.careerforums.co.uk - Career Exhibitions and Seminars
www.theappointment.co.uk - retail and hospitality
www.inretail.co.uk - Leading Job Site for retail sector
http://get.hobsons.co.uk - 750+ Pages of Jobs, Recruiters and advice
http://insidecareers.co.uk - Detailed insight into a career as an actuary
http://www.topgradschool.com - World's Top Unis on tour to Screen students and offer advice.
http://www.gradjobs.co.uk - Fresh Graduate Jobs site
http://www.forum3.co.uk - Jobs for Charity/Non-Profit Sector - 10th and 11th Oct@ Islington Business Center,
http://www.top-consultant.com/ - Biggest UK Consultant Companies - 9th and 10th oct @ Barbical Exhibition Hall - Tkts usually £10
The BBC offers a wide range of work experience placements, including many which require fluency in a certain foreign language: http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/workexperience
There is a National Work Placement Exhibition each year. For details, see: http://www.gradjobs.co.uk
For latest on Post Study Worker's Visa etc Checkout http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Q:- Working while studying? / Working when your studies have ended?
Ans:- http://www.educationuk.org/pls/hot_bc/page_pls_user_article?d=1125#work
Find you way to work - International Students: Working in the UK 2007-08 PDF Guide
Usually student work experience like internships etc is unpaid. Also you need to make your own arrangements for accommodation if you need to work far from where you are currently living, and need to pay for your own expenses for travel (Student RailCard), accommodation and other living costs. Please Note that if you are from outside the UK, you should have a visa or passport which allows you to work in the UK - even if there is no pay for the work.
Applications process for work placements usually starts 3 months or more before the placement starts, so it is a good idea to start planning as early as possible. Work experience is often for quite short periods, typically between about 1 week to 3 months. The most popular times are during the UK school/university holidays, especially during the summer months.
To find Temp Jobs for 20hrs/week when you are studying regular course - best way is to Prepare a One Page CV and apply to a local Job Centre Office or Reed Agency Office and other local recruitment agencies on the nearest highstreet. Check Yell.com to find a Local Recruitment Agency or contact local council office for help. Also Drop copies of your CVs to Local Highstreet Stores like Primark, Newlook and supermarkets like ASDA, Tesco etc.
OTHER USEFUL LINKS:-
For Latest Student Visa and Uk Education News - http://www.workpermit.com/news/2008-08-05/uk/foreign-students-tier-4-points-based-system-proposals.htm
Information About NI Number- You must apply for NI number before or soon after Jjoining a Job. Because preference is given to candidates with NI Numbers.
Student Finance - Bank Accounts
Money Super Market Guide for Student Accounts - Aug/Sep 2008
for College/UNI Projects
Studying in the UK
British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/
Education UK
Study abroad agency
Study Overseas Ltd http://www.britishhighereducation.com
Arriving In UK, Travel Inside London, London – SightSeeing, UK-SightSeeing
Arriving In UK
ARRIVING/LANDING IN UK :-
Cheap Cab/Taxi Companies Near Heathrow Airport
020 8577 5050
020 8569 4040
020 8570 3939
020 8423 4444
020 8385 0101
Or you can pre-book one of the pickup cabs at good price at www.eurocarslondon.com
You can call the above taxi nos. from payphone at Airport and wait outside Heathrow Terminal 1,2,3 Departures - thats their fav pickup spot. If you have a mobile handset with you then you can get a Pre-Paid UK SimCard (Lebara/LycaMobile/Vodafone rates are best) at Airport from a Vending Machine/Calling Cards Kiosk. To read more on which mobile phones will work here, scroll down the page a little.
If its your first trip to UK, you would be worrying about the cold and always rainy weather in UK. But don't pack too much warm clothes as because of lack of significant pollution here, you can really wear same stuff many times. Plus clothes-stores like PRIMARK sell clothes for very cheap price. So better keep your luggage light.
Suggested Clothing:-bring two warm outers (atleast one jacket which can handle water), 2-3 sweatshirts (thick stuff T-Shirts, best for this weather), 4-5 shirts n ties, 2-3 trousers, 2 jeans, one pair of sports shoe and one pair of formal shoes (Shoes are very costly here) and rest you can buy here.
After landing:- Most people land at Heathrow Airport although Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester are also quite common landing options.
From Heathrow (Check Flight Status on all U.K. Airports):-
- Best Option to reach Central london is to Buy an Oyster Card at Heathrow Underground Terminal and Top it up with £7 Credit(Enough for one day). Piccadilly line (usually no service between 12:30AM - 4:00Am) from heathrow takes you to heart of london and with further connections (www.journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk) you can reach almost everywhere within Zone 1-6 of london. There is also a Heathrow Express Service (Oyster not valid) which costs a little more but is the fastest method to reach London Paddington (Zone 1).London's Major Overground Stations are VICTORIA (For South West England), WATERLOO(For South East England), PADDINGTON (For West England), KINGS CROSS(For North East England & Scotland), LIVERPOOL STREET (For EAST England), EUSTON (For North West England and Scotland). Tickets bought in advance over the net are much cheaper than bought on the spot. Check www.nationalrail.co.uk to plan UK National Rail journeys and to check ticket prices. Don't forget to Buy a National Rail Network Card (£25 for an year) which gets you 33% discount on any National Rail Offpeak (after 10:00Am) Ticket above £10. You will easily reover £25 or may be more in an year.
- BUS Travel in UK is the cheapest mode of transport.Almost all UK airports have good long-distance BUS Connections to Important cities and Stations. Check http://www.nationalexpress.com to plan your journey. Tkts can be bought on the Heathrow BUS Station or on the bus itself. Although, tickets bought online are much much cheaper than Tkts bought on Spot. You just need the Booking Reference No. to board the bus. Keep it in writing and not just on Mobile as Mobile Battery usually goes off while travelling. Good connections to Victoria, Waterloo, Euston, Birmingham, Coventry etc.
- TAXI - is the costliest mode of transport in UK. Especially the BLACK CABS from the TAXI RANK outside Airports and Stations. Your best bet is to phone a Hired Cab Service located in your destination area. They usually have special rates for Airport Pickups.
- Search for a Taxi Company in your Destination area at http://www.yell.co.uk
- Call atleast 3 of them , and ask them for special rates for heathrow.
- Most of them would want passengers to come out of airport and meet at/around some landmark like signboard/bus stop. Inform this thing about landmark to your guests. Also give your guests the contact no of cab company so they could liase with them when their flight lands.
- If you ask taxi company to wait at Airport in arrival lounge - with a sign in their hand then they will charge you extra for that. Parking at heathrow is quite expensive
Low cost, Prestige VIP Meet n Greet Parking Service At heathrow
Another good + cheap pickup service http://www.airportdirect.org/
If you are Bringing Your Mobile Handset with you..
- Almost all European/SouthAsian (GSM) Mobile phones work here in UK. UK Mobile Networks don't support CDMA Phones.
- After landing at Airport you can get a Pre-Paid sim-card(Its called pay-as-you-go in UK) from Vending Machines (Like Coke Can Machines) at Airport for £10. All those sim-cards come with £10 calling credit.
Recommended Sims are:-
- Lebara Pre-Paid Sim Has Best Rates for International Calls or Try www.lycamobile.co.uk sim Card. Almost same price as Lebara.
- Vodafone - PrePaid is also a good sime cardNow you can inform people backhome that you reached safely. Don't use international roaming on your own country's Sim as it will cost you more than £1.20- £1.50 per minute to make a call to your country . (Note: If you have come here to stay for more than a month, then get a Three network's skypephone from some mobilephone shop on high-street on pay-as-you-go simcard. Three not only gives maximum UK minutes on pre-paid simcards but if you have skypephone, you can call friends/family with Skype-on-Pc, anywhere in world for free.)
- Get the private hire cab/taxi no.s from information desk. Then call the taxi/cab service from airport. (Note: Taxi Nos for Heathrow Airport are given above), You can also get private-hire cab/taxi numbers from directory services. Open the sim'card's user guide and find out Contact No of their directory services. That No. will typically start from 118. Ex - 118-118. (Calling mobile network's own directory services will be cheaper than calling 118-118, typical costs 40-50p per call) Call that directory Service No. and get 2-3 taxi services contact Nos form them. Call the taxi services and ask for special rates for Airport pickup. They should send a taxi right away or in most cases will have a taxi already on way to Airport coming to drop-off some passenger.Note: But If you take the black cabs/taxis from outside Airport then that will cost you much more than pre-hired cabs from your destination town.
Travel Inside London - SightSeeing
Note: To travel on tube and buses in london you will need to buy an Oyster Pay As You Go Card from TubeStation or other TFL ticket Counters. This card will always charge you minimum fare on your local travel in london and so you don't have to worry about calculating prices and fares of your local travel inside london. If you plan to use National Rail (Overground) to see London/UK during your stay here or if you plan to use Oyster Pay As You Go Card for more than 12days in london then you will save even more if you buy a national rail young person's (age < 25 yrs) rail card (Costs £25 for an year) from a national rail/overground station and linking it with your Oyster Pay As You Go Card. You will save around £2 on your daily off-preak travel in london and 33% on your off-peak national rail travel outside london. Check this http://IAmNewToLondon.com/tips/TFLOysterFaresJan09Onwards.html to see how much you can save.
Check www.journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk to plan your journey From Point A to Point B, inside london on Train/Tube/Bus/DLR etc. Its a very useful website. It tells you the total expected journey time PLUS the Start and Destination Maps with walking route (If a walk is part of your route to reach an address) in green color.
Note:
- The TransportForLondon Dept runs a very helpful and little known Mobile-SMS service for people lost in london and trying to get to somewhere from somewhere. When you are lost in london, at any time of day or night, type a Text Msg(SMS) on your mobile like "A to B" (Where A and B can be name of Bus Stop/Tube Station/Post Code) to 60835 and in few seconds you will receive back a Text Message from TFL telling you about the best/fastest route to reach your destination. For Ex "Holborn to Baker Street" MORE HERE
- TfL has launched a new service to help you get home. When you're out and about, just text CAB to 60835 and the telephone numbers of your two nearest (Your Mobile's Location) licensed minicab operators will be sent directly to your mobile phone.
- If you have a Network RailCard or Student Railcard (Both Cost Just £20/Year), always link it to Oyster to save £1/day on your offpeak pre-paid travel.
Most people don't know that travel in London is the 2nd costliest part of your expenses after accomodation. Travel per mile in london costs more than travel cost per mile on a CONCORDE plane(now discontinued). Depending on which zone you live in, your monthly travelcard can cost
zone1=£93, zone1-2=£93, zone1-3=£109.10, zone1-4= £132.90,zone1-5=£159.00, zone1-6=£171.30. Students get 30% discounts on travelcards. If you don't take tube/train to work everyday then your best option is Pay-As-you-Go Oyster Card. It costs less than paper tickets and It will never cost more than one-day-travelcard if you use it for multiple journeys.
Note: You can top up the credit on your Oyster card and check the balance remaining (or see what amounts have been charged) in the following ways:
- by placing it on the Oyster card reader on one of the ticket machines in a Tube station (when you are adding credit, you must finish by placing your Oyster card on the reader a second time)
- by asking at the ticket office of a Tube station
- Auto-Topup - by going to the Oyster card website: http://www.oystercard.com. If you have a credit or debit card you can arrange for your card to be topped up automatically every time that the balance falls below a certain level
The advantages of having an Oyster card are:
- you save time, because you do not need to queue to buy tickets each time you want to travel
- it is simpler
- fares are cheaper if you use an Oyster card
- you should automatically pay the cheapest fare if you make several Tube or bus journeys, even if you change your travel plans
Note that currently only a few of the National Rail stations in London accept Oyster cards. If you plan to use some local London Overground train services as part of your journey it may be cheaper to buy a one-day travelcard (a paper ticket) from a ticket office, because these are valid on trains, bus or Tube services within the zones shown. There are plans to introduce Oyster card readers at all train stations in London in 2009.
Off-peak Travelcards can only be used after 9:30am on Monday-Friday, or any time on Saturday, Sunday or on a Bank Holiday. The Oyster daily price cap is the maximum you will pay if you use your Oyster card to make journeys during the day.
- Cheaper fares are available if you don't need to travel through zone 1 (the cost depends on the number of zones through which you need to travel), or if you are a child, 16-17 or a senior citizen.
- If you have a Student Oyster Photocard you can buy travelcards for 1 week or longer at a cheaper price. These cost about 30% less than the equivalent adult prices (there are no special student discounts for single or 1-day tickets). Note that these are only available to people who are studying in London and requires a special card (you cannot get a discount with an ISIC or NUS card). For details of how to apply for a Student Oyster Photocard, see: Travel/Transport/London/Guide
- If you have a National Rail Railcard (a Young Persons Railcard or a Disabled Persons/HM Forces/Senior Railcard) and you register this Railcard on your Oyster card (by showing it at the ticket office of a Tube station), your Oyster daily off-peak cap is reduced by about a third. A Young Persons Railcard can be bought by anyone aged 16-25 or by any full-time student (even if you are aged 26 or over), and this railcard also allows you to get a third off off-peak travel on the UK train system. The daily price cap is not reduced if any of your travel is during peak times.
For more details, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/singlefares/6769.aspx
SIGHTSEEING IN LONDON / THINGS TO DO IN LONDON
Official London Tourism site here www.visitlondon.com
For Best Price London Theatre, Attractions, Museums and Theme Park Tickets check
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk - 2FOR1 London Attractions (With Train Tickets)
Check www.journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk or transportdirect.info to plan your journey From Point A to Point B, inside london on Train/Tube/Bus/DLR etc. Its a very useful website. It tells you the total expected journey time PLUS the Start and Destination Maps with walking route (If a walk is part of your route to reach an address) in green color.
Note: To travel on tube and buses in london you will need to buy an Oyster Pay As You Go Card from TubeStation or other TFL ticket Counters. This card will always charge you minimum fare on your local travel in london and so you don't have to worry about calculating prices and fares of your local travel inside london. If your age is less than 25 and you plan to use National Rail (Overground Trains) to see London/UK during your stay here or if you plan to use Oyster Pay As You Go Card for more than 12days in london then you will save even more if you buy a national rail young persons rail card (Costs £25 for an year) from a national rail/overground station and linking it with your Oyster Pay As You Go Card. You will save around £2 on your daily off-preak travel in london and 33% on your off-peak national rail travel outside london. Check this http://IAmNewToLondon.com/tips/TFLOysterFaresJan09Onwards.html to see how much you can save.
If Its your first time in London and you want to see the most of it within one day then best option is to buy a BusTour Ticket. They cover almost all of the important attractions in london and you can getoff or geton the buses at any of their stops. They usually include a free Thames Cruise as well (best part of day trip). Tickets can be bought on Bus but best way to get discount is either book online or from their main ticketing booths at Original London Visitor Centre Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross Station), Whitcomb Street (Piccadilly Circus) or Grosvenor Gardens (Victoria) stops.
Latest of whats happening/to see, in London here
HopOn-HopOff Bustour + Thames Cruise for £20
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk - 2 FOR 1 London Attractions (With Train Tickets)
London Pass - Covers 55 Attractions
The website www.sustrans.org.uk has maps of all local cycle paths!
Click here for Bus Route Maps In London
http://www.railcard.co.uk ( Comprehensive information to save on train travel )
Top 10 things to see in London
Helicopter Sightseeing Flights- London/UK
Current Popular Theatre In London
Note::
- The TransportForLondon Dept runs a very helpful and little known Mobile-SMS service for people lost in london and trying to get to somewhere from somewhere. When you are lost in london, at any time of day or night, type a Text Msg(SMS) on your mobile like "A to B" (Where A and B can be name of Bus Stop/Tube Station/Post Code) and send it to 60835 and you will receive back in few seconds a Text Message from TFL telling you about the best/fastest route to reach your destination. For Ex "Holborn to Baker Street" MORE HERE.
- TfL has launched a new service to help you get home. When you're out and about, just text CAB to 60835 and the telephone numbers of your two nearest (Your Mobile's Location) licensed minicab operators will be sent directly to your mobile phone.
To find out any location in UK based on postcode or street name click www.maps.google.co.uk. It also is useful to find out prominent businesses, restaurants, bars, clubs, tourist attractions in london and UK
Click here for Bus Route Maps In London
Click Here For Bus Route Maps in UK (Outside London)
Grab a Pocket Tube Map from any london-underground station and keep it handy.
http://www.londontown.com/TubeMaps/TubeMapLarge.jpg - Best Resolution Tube Map
Some interesting and helpful maps you can order online.
Click www.nationalrail.co.uk Or http://www.transportdirect.info to plan UK National Rail journeys and check ticket prices.
Don't forget to buy National Rail Card (costs just £25/year) and save 33% on off-peak Rail travel in london/UK.
Important:: Link it to your Oyster Card and save money (Roughly £2/day) on day-to-day travel. Check this http://IAmNewToLondon.com/tips/TFLOysterFaresJan09Onwards.html to see how much you can save.
A great guide for Tourist Accomodation in London/UK
A helpful guide for tips on Transport to/from/within the UK or Europe
Pronounciation
You may well need some tips on how to pronounce London place names.
Gloucester Road - GLOSS-ter Road
Leicester Square - LESS-ter Square
Holborn - HOE-burn, or HOE-b'n
Covent Garden - the 'o' is short as in codpiece
Greenwich - GRENNITCH
Dulwich - DULLITCH
Vauxhall - VOX-all
Plaistow - PLAH-stow
Chiswick - CHIZZICK
Putney - The 'u' is pronounced as in butter, not as in butcher
Marylebone - Mary-lea-bone (say it fast)
River Thames - River THEMMS
Southwark - Su-therk (su as in subtle)
Some other Attractions:-
- If you are into literarture,books,cinema etc then SOUTHBANK (Near Waterloo/Embankment) is the place to checkout. Its a nice walk along thames. Full of tourists in summer. International food and lively music. Street Performances and decorations. A spot dedicated to skate-boarders.
- A large and lovely used books-stall outside NFT(National Film Theatre) which is kinda heaven for someone into reading books. :)Nearby National Theatre is famous for its performances and festivals
- This thames-walk is also the spot for world famous Thames Fireworks which happen in August/September every Year!.
Tourism Travel Sightseeing in UK
UK Activity weekends backabushxplorers
Anderson Tours - UK SightSeeing
Info about Bus travel in Great Britain Click here
http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/ - Cheapest Online Train Tickets
TheTrainLine.com Another Provider of Cheap Online Train Tickets
http://www.transportdirect.info-Live Bus/Train Departure Times
Check www.nationalexpress.com - Get Around in UK on Bus for as Little as £5
Check www.megabus.com/uk/ - Get Around in UK on bus for as Little as £1
http://www.railcard.co.uk ( Comprehensive information to save 33% on Train travel )
Backpackers Tours of England , Wales, Scotland http://www.roadtrip.co.uk
Scotline tours of Scotland http://www.scotlinetours.co.uk
Visit Scotland - Official Tourism Site of Scotland Click here
Accomodation Tips , House Move Tips, List of PG & Hostel Accos
ACCOMODATION
Etiquettes for Flatshare Hunting
When you contact someone through gumtree or other website, always provide some basic information about you in your first email.
Example of a Good Contact:-
Hi, I am XYZ originally from XYZ part of Asia/Europe. I work with XYZ company in a full time job as IT/Marketing/XYZ Consultant.
I am looking to rent a decent place for minimum 3-6 months.I am a clean person, non-smoker, eat both veg & non veg, social and with an open mind.
I like a quiet place as I am not a noisy/party person myself. My budget is upto £450 only. Please let me know if my details match your requirement.
Cheers
Example of a Bad Contact
Hello, I am XYZ looking for room. I am working. My contact no. is 653656536153. Call me back!
Example of a VERY VERY Bad Contact
Hello, My contact no. is 653656536153. Call me back!
NOTE:
- When you book a viewing appointment with the landlord or agent, always inform them if you can't make itUsually while booking you will say "I will be coming in evening at around 7pm to see the flat." - So take it as a commitment! In evening if you can't make it, before 5-6pm (not later than 6:00pm), always inform the landlord/agent.
Good Approach.
- "Sorry I won't be able to come as I have found another option. Please don't wait for me!"Bad Approach.
- No call or message from you and landlord keeps waiting for you! THIS IS CONSIDERED VERY BAD and should be avoided.
One of the biggest concerns of anyone moving to London/UK is Accomodation.
Quick Note: When you move houses In UK, you can take advantage of Royal Mail Redirection (roughly £5/month). This facility will automatically redirect all your post from old address to new address. You can even apply Online for it at www.royalmail.com. You will never miss that important bank/creditcard statement or your visa papers from homeoffice.
Q1-How much is average living cost in london?
Ans- London is divided into 6 Zones. Click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/downloads/tube_map.html Or http://www.londontown.com/TubeMaps/TubeMapLarge.jpg to see the map. Central London is Zone 1 and is the costliest place to live. In this zone, a room in an average shared accomodation (3-4 rooms in one flat/house) will typically cost you £600-£700+ Pcm
As you move towards outer zones, rooms/flats/houses get cheaper. The best website to check for room rents is http://www.gumtree.com.. To get these cheap accomodations, either visit the local Newsagent shops' windows or PG Accomodation section of this Guide! Crime and security scene of all these areas is more or less same. Check www.upmystreet.com for the crime scene in the neighbourhood you are thinking of moving in. For women, London is comparatively safer than many parts of South
Your Rights As Tenants - All Kinds of Tenancy Explained here
www.gumtree.com - A leading site for london
www.studenthousing.lon.ac.uk - Excellent guide for student accomodation
www.ononemap.com - Amazing Google Maps Based Site!
Q: Types of Short Term/Bed&Breakfast/Tourist Accomodation in UK?
Two Kinds of Rental Accomodation:-
Shared Acco - 2 or more people share same house, kitchen, toilets etc. Every tenant gets an individual room. Most shared-acco rental contracts are for 6 months (rolling after that) with 2-4 weeks notice period. You are expected to pay deposit (usually one month's rent) and one month's rent upfront. Usually these contracts are done direct with landlords and estate agents arenot involved in them
Whole House/Flat - This typically involves three parties 1)Tenant (single person, couple or group of friends), 2)Estate Agent, 3) Landlord. Landlord is more or less invisible in this arrangement (although by law, you can ask for Landlord's contact details). Estate Agents take care of the house, rent and all maintenance. You will have to go through a Credit Check (at your cost - £45 Approx) and in some cases might have to provide reference letter from your Employer. Estate agents will charge admin and contract drawing fees ( £60 - £125 Approx) to you. Contracts are Assured tenancy agreement of 6-12 months. (rolling after that - with one month notice period). In most cases, You will have to pay 1 months rent in advance and deposit which could be 1 to 1.5 times of monthly rent. You are liable to pay for remaining term of contract if you have to leave before the term is over, unless you, with mutual agreement between you and estate agent, find out someone who is interested to take up the property on rent.
House Move Tips:
-
- Register yourself on voter's list (www.aboutmyvote.co.uk) and with a local GP (Free Healthcare Doctor) (find nearest surgery/clinic on NHS website) as soon as you move into a new accomodation.
- If you are the sole occupier or have a non-earning spouse then you can get 15-25% council-tax discount if you apply for it in writing at your local council office.
- When you move houses In UK, you can take advantage of Royal Mail Redirection (roughly £5/month). This facility will automatically redirect all your post from old address to new address. You can even apply Online for it at www.royalmail.com. You will never miss that important bank/creditcard statement or your visa papers from homeoffice 🙂
- Always take meter readings on the day you move out and move in. Check from your landlord/estate agent about who are the utility (gas, electricity, water) provider companies for the house you are moving in. Its your responsibility to call up utility companies and inform them about your house move. Any laziness here can spoil your credit history later. To find out which utility company provides cheapest gas/electricity in your area try www.moneysupermarket.com Or www.uswitch.com
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- Virgin Media is the best choice for Telephone/Cable TV if they provide fibre-optic (Not services through a Normal BT Telephone Landline) services in your postcode area. Its usually a 12 month contract. Otherwise you can go with SKY TV and Broadband. You will need British Telecom (BT- Telephone Line) for Sky Broadband. Sky & BT both will also require you to sign a 12 Month Contract. For Sky Dish antenna make sure you get the permission from landlord or estate agent in writing.
- For Broadband Service comparison check http://www.thinkbroadband.com/
O2 Broadband is also a very good deal for money if you have a O2 mobile contract!
- Tesco, ASDA and Wilkinson are considered to be the cheapest Groceries and Home Goods Superstores in UK. However, if you are in london, your local high street will most probably have a 1 Pound shop like (poundland, costcutter, 98p shop etc), where most household things are sold for around £1. These can save you lot of money while settling in a new accomodation.
- Argos, Index, PRIMARK are some other high street shops famous among general public. They provide quality products like furniture, bed linen, clothes etc for cheap prices along with 30 days money back guarantee.
Hostel/Student Accomodation:
HOST - This Company arranges student accommodation in Westminster and rest of London.
Reg Address:
211 Streatham Road
Mitcham
Surrey
United Kingdom
CR4 2AJ
Tel: +44 02086464320
Fax: +44 02086460905
Indian YMCA - check http://www.indianymca.org/ for rates of rooms.
YMCA Indian Student Hostel
41 Fitzroy Square
London W1T 6AQ
Telephone:020 7387 0411
Fax 020 7383 4735
Email: reservations@indianymca.org
London WaterLoo Christian Alliance Centre
2 Secker Street
Waterloo
London
SE1 8UF
Tel: 020 7450 4601
Fax: 020 7401 9945
London WaterLoo Christian Alliance Centre Convent Religious Of Mary Immaculate Hostel (For Girls)
Nice Hostel Near Gloucester Road Station
15 Southwell Gardens
London
SW7 4RN
020 73733869
Find More Youth Hostels Click here - Complete List A , Complete List B
UK Work (Tier1) VISA & Finding a Job Info, Jobs In UK Guide!, Tax&Benefits, Children’s Education
TIER1 VISA/HSMP/Workpermit/Job Market Info:
For Work Permits/Work Visas/ Tier 1, Student Work VisaYou can checkout one of these Companies
http://www.workpermitconsultants.com
http://www.easyworkpermit.co.uk
A leading HSMP/Workpermit Forum for your Visa Related Queries - http://www.immigrationboards.com/
HomeOffice Site for HSMP/Tier 1Visa:- http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/
UK Govt Site for VISA related FAQs http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/
Official British Govt Site for Online Visa Applications http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/
LatestGovt Updates on Work Visa/HSMP Information here http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Jobs In UK Guide!
Common Questions asked by Most Newcomers to UK on HSMP, Holiday Maker Or Work Visas
Click here for more Information About NI Number- You must apply for NI number before or soon after joining a JOB. Because preference is given to candidates with NI Numbers
- How is UK IT Market/Testing Market/SAP Market/Networking Security Market Etc etc now ?
Ans- Average. There are jobs in every skills as long as you are good in your skills and can prove that.Must read The UK IT skills crisis: an essential guide for IT professionals Interview Questions Sites
http://www.geekinterview.com/Interview-Questions
http://dba.fyicenter.com/interview/
http://www.allinterview.com/Interview-Questions
For Interview Preparation Guidelines Click here - Must Read
To get a better idea about the jobs available in your skill set and salaries offered checkout
http://www.iprofile.org/ - UK's leading Online CV Formatting Template
http://www.efinancialcareers.com - for finance, retail banking, investment banking jobs
http://www.freemycv.com - Upload your CV once, and they register you with other leading job sites.
http://www.activetechpros.com Benchmark your salary against Similar Profile People from All over the world.
www.cv-library.co.uk ( useful site to compare and develop your own CV by benchmarking it with simillar skills CVs of others available on site)
www.careerbuilder.com/administrativejob
www.flipdog.com (Now Part of Monster.co.uk)
www.jobs1.co.uk/directory/recruitment_leisure.html
www.jobserve.com UK's leading jobsite.
www.jobs4medical.com (for pharmacy and medical jobs)
www.theladders.co.uk (good site for 50K+ jobs but it is paid)
www.careerforums.co.uk - Career Exhibitions and Seminars
www.theappointment.co.uk - retail and hospitality
www.inretail.co.uk - Leading Job Site for retail sector
http://get.hobsons.co.uk - 750+ Pages of Jobs, Recruiters and advice
http://insidecareers.co.uk - Detailed insight into a career as an actuary
- Is it right time to enter UK market ?Ans:- Yes!! Only if you already have a good offer or above mentioned job sites tell you that there is a demand for your skill set.
- I am coming on an HSMP. How long will it take for me to get a JOB?Ans:- Ask GOD. :). nobody else can tell the future. 🙂 Well on a serious note, if your english language skills are good and you are good in your main skill-set too then on an average it takes 2-3 months to get a good job (You'll need an average of £500/Month to survive in London). How it goes is, you email your resumes for the job offers to recruitment agencies, they call you and get all your relevant details and feed it in their system according to their own format. Then they go cold for a while and only call you when in their database you match with the requirement they have. Usually, employers here rely a lot on Agencies and assume that Agency would have done the basic screening etc. In 90% of interviews, employers hire someone from the first 10 candidates sent by the agency. So make sure you impress the agency guy with your best communication skills. Having good terms with Agency Guys (talk a little about weather, holidays, music concerts etc, if possible joke about prime minister, finance minister etc 🙂 and then casually ask about the update/progress on any job query) is half the battle won.
- For 2+/3+/5+/7+ Experience guy how much salary to expect?Ans:-It depends on which Company you join and which part of UK you join. London is a costly place so salaries are higher. Suburban areas are less costly so salary is less. Don't be fussy for your first job. Take whatever you are offered. Once you're in job and have evaluated the worth of your skills according to the job market, you can always switch in 6-12 months time.
For permanent job - £30K - £40K Salary per annum can be called a good start.Salary-Tax Calculator
Contract - £200 - £350 Salary per day is a good start
For contracting:- You will need an umbrella company to bill your hours on your behalf and pay you salary and expenses. Umbrella companies are expert in managing your accounts and can get you good share from your billing. A 70-75% takehome is considered pretty good.
Note: If you have a confirmed contract offer then you can approach following companies for your billing
- How easy is it to get the job I apply for?Applying for a job in London is tough and competition is very fierce. Even if you are experienced in your own country you might not perform with the right etiquette to appear like the best candidate. There are some agencies who provide grooming for new comers e.g. Successful Flare can help you maximise your job application. They are experienced City interviewers who specialise in supporting non-native speakers of English to start their London career, through the whole application process from application form and CV to interview and job offer!